A tortle fighter has a ton of potential, and fighters can be either strength or dexterity based. But, tortles are typically built for strength for a few different reasons. Tortles have a high but fixed armour class (AC), with no dexterity bonus. So they work great for strength based rangers, monks, or spellcasters who lack proficiency in armour.
Does it make any sense to play a dexterity based tortle fighter?
Why should a tortle build be strength based?
By default, tortles get +2 to strength and +1 to wisdom. They automatically start with a minimum of 17 AC. They can’t wear armour, but can use a shield for an additional +2 to AC. But starting out at level 1 with with 19 AC is great.
With the tortle’s Shell Defense they can also withdraw into their shell for a bonus +4 to AC if things get real bad.
As characters of other races level up, they often improve their AC with improved dexterity, better armour, or magical armour. However, as a tortle levels up, they won’t be able to increase their AC at all. That is, unless your DM allows for or creates a special item to do so.
19 AC, or even 17 at lower levels, is more than enough to be a competent melee attacker. Especially if your hit points (HP) are on the higher side, which they should be as a fighter. Fighter’s get a 1d10 hit die and you should be prioritizing constitution.
On the attack side of things, a tortle’s unarmed strike is higher than your average unarmed strike. It’s claws allow for 1d4 (instead of just 1) + strength modifier, and damage type counts as slashing instead of bludgeoning. There are more strength based weapons, and the damage is typically higher than dexterity melee weapons too.
Given all those, building a tortle fighter, it probably makes the most sense to focus on strength to boost their attack and not worry about wasting your good ability scores on dexterity.
Plus look at them! Do they look more limber and dexterous or bulky and strong to you?
Creating a backstory for a dexterity based tortle
But, wouldn’t a dexterity based tortle fighter be neat to play? And with Tasha’s rules, you could mix and match the standard race ability score bonuses.
Let’s build a level three fighter and see how it could work, beginning with the backstory of Kupa Honu.
Dexterity in favour of strength
While most tortles spend the first year or two of their short 50-ish year lifespan with their tortle parents, Kupa and their siblings hatched alone in an alleyway of the tourist hot-spot Palma Flora. They flailed on their own for a few days, most of them not surviving, but on the third day, the Riptide Tavern’s tabaxi bartender, Swift Flip, went back into the alley for a smoke. He was surprised to find two tortle hatchlings, weak, defenseless, and near starvation. He scooped them up and took them home, hoping they could be saved, and introduced them to his other roomates.
Flip and his house full of local islander hospitality staff, nursed the little tortles until they could run around on their own. Flip took Kupa under his wing, teaching the young tortle how to slackline, do a backflip off the dock, and some of his bartender tricks, like throwing ice and catching it with a cocktail shaker. The agile tabaxi would argue nurture over nature, raising Kupa to hone the skills of balance, speed, and lightness of foot over brute force. Despite having a large and heavy shell on their back, Kupa would grow accustomed to its weight and use it to their advantage.
Instead of taking +2 strength, let’s swap that for +2 dexterity because Kupa is surprisingly lean and quick from their upbringing by an acrobatic tabaxi.
Constitution instead of wisdom
Kupa missed out on the average upbringing of a tortle, who learns from their parent’s stories of adventure and lessons of the outside world every night before they go to sleep. Instead of active wisdom passed on from generations of orderly tortle explorers, Kupa was basically left for dead as an infant, and then proceeded to grow up in the chaos of a student house. They built up an immune system from consuming all manner of things unsafe for children that were accidentally left around the house. Kupa and their nestmate got very ill on more than one occasion because they thought they were drinking fruit punch in the fridge, or eating dessert jello, or chocolate brownies.
Not a lot of (good) wisdom would have been passed down to this tortle, but likely a lot of physical resilience. With that, instead of +1 wisdom, let’s swap that for +1 constitution.
A spark of magic
While the majority of Kupa’s early life consisted of parties, bars, and a revolving door of young and carefree vagabonds. One of Flip’s roomates, Laelia, who also worked at the tavern, saw her service jobs as a means to an end not a lifestyle on its own. She was determined to “get out” of Palma Flora, through educating herself, attending night classes, and saving up every penny to one day afford a place on a ship out of here. Laelia had a lot of influence on Kupa, and encouraged them to pursue a life outside of the touristy retirement community on the coast. She would let Kupa read through her history and spell books from the library, and is credited with piquing Kupa’s interest in the arcane magics.
Roleplaying and background elements
Choosing an alignment
I know the written material says tortles are generally lawful, but Kupa would be chaotic for sure. With their upbringing and general need to scrappily fend for themself from birth, the chaotic-ness in the household and party environment which they grew up, Kupa would embrace spontaneity. Either neutral or good would work, they’d be generally opposed to harming the weak or defenseless.
Choosing a background
Following in the footsteps of the friends who raised Kupa, the young tortle would start out their professional career bussing tables. Eventually graduating to serving drinks to rich vacationers, and run random favours for the kitchens. Kupa might guide the odd snorkelling tour, but wouldn’t stick around long enough to establish themself too much down any one path. As soon as they had enough coin they planned to be on the first ship out of this place.
Maybe an Outlander background, with proficiency in Athletics and Survival skills, makes sense. Without much starting money, once they got out of Palma Flora, Kupa could have holed up at a repair port like Bisaft Isle. From there they could take on odd jobs and split time between trips on the sea and exploring the wild jungles of Bisaft Isle.
Or maybe a Sailor background makes more sense. Athletics and Perception proficiency both are complimentary for a fighter. Kupa could establish themself as a hard and capable worker, obtaining jobs of increasing responsibility running the trade routes up and down the Menagerie Coast.
Another option could be to translate their skills to manage the movement of goods themselves. Why not hone a craft and instead of shipping other’s inventory from town to town, spend the energy on planning their own shipping routes. As a Guild Artisan, you gain proficiency in Insight and Persuasion, which are useful general skills in 5th edition for any character.
Kupa could also take the Marine background, as an enforcer on the ocean. With proficiency in Athletics and Survival, this background also makes a good combination for a fighter. Though Kupa gains proficiency in Survival inherently for being a tortle.
Potentially a Smuggler background, with proficiency in Athletics and Deception could work too.
Potential for a custom background
Or perhaps Kupa deserves a custom background based on their atypical upbringing. This would, of course, have to be OK’d with the DM first. But for the sake of this article and character build, I’m going to give them the Hospitality Specialist background. Think of this background akin to a college student who works as a bartender or a server in the evenings to help pay for school, and then in the summers works at a local surf shop or resort.
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, History
Languages: One of your choice
Tool Proficiencies: Choose 1 tool proficiency from the players handbook
Equipment: A slackline, leather ball, or throwing disc; a mixology set; a set of traveler’s clothes; a map of a city or landmark; and a pouch containing 5 gp
Feature: Researcher
When you attempt to learn or recall a piece of lore, if you do not know that information, you often know where and from whom you can obtain it. Usually, this information comes from a library, scriptorium, university, or a sage or other learned person or creature. Your DM might rule that the knowledge you seek is secreted away in an almost inaccessible place, or that it simply cannot be found. Unearthing the deepest secrets of the multiverse can require an adventure or even a whole campaign.
Speciality
From the Sage background
Kupa would learn the language Marquesian, in attempts to impress and gain favour with wealthy vacationers. They would be proficient in Brewer’s Supplies, learning about fermentation and the art of mixology from Flip from an early age.
As a fighter, Kupa gets two additional skills to be proficient in. I’ll choose Acrobatics (again learned from Swift Flip), and either insight… because of all their time watching Flip and his friends at parties and around the restaurant. Or perception… similarly from hanging out in the corners, staying out of the way, but always watching.
As a tortle, Kupa would have Survival Instinct gaining proficiency in the Survival skill. Which I think still makes sense despite their atypical upbringing. It could be something more inherently genetic from being a tortle, and developed being constantly surrounded by adventure tourism.
What are their motivations?
Ideals, bonds, and flaws
What is the single most important thing Kupa strives for? What do they care about most? Is there one thing that would prompt them to make a sacrifice? What would they never sacrifice?
Kupa thirsts for adventure on the open ocean.
Above all else, they care about personal freedom and being able to provide for themself. Kupa has lived off of the kindness of others far too long and longs for depending on no one but themself.
Reluctantly, they would jump into a bad situation to save a friend. But would never stick their neck out if they thought it might end up with some sort of entrapment. Kupa couldn’t bear the thought of being captured or imprisoned.
Whom do they care about the most? What place, setting, do they have a special connection to? If any? What is their most treasured possession?
Kupa has many fond memories of growing up on the beaches of Palma Flora, but it was always the future they looked to. Getting out. Exploring. As soon as they left town they wouldn’t look back. No ties to family, friends coming and going as easily as the winds. Kupa would think fondly about Swift Flip and Laelia often, but knows they are on a different path. Above all else, Kupa probably cares about themself the most.
What enrages Kupa? What’s the one person, concept, or event that they’re terrified of? Do they have any vices?
Kupa hates a braggart and can smell them a mile away. They were constantly surrounded by arrogant, sometimes cruel, and usually rich people coming through town on holidays, business retreats, and school breaks. Not much satisfies Kupa more than beating them at their own games.
There were two types of people who worked at the tavern with Kupa. Those who never touch liquor or drugs, and those who couldn’t get enough of them. Kupa, unfortunately, is the second type. They pretend they don’t need it, but the truth is Kupa’s always a little bit tipsy. It helped to ease their awkwardness in social settings from a young age, and it’s a habit they haven’t thought to shake since. Each morning starts with something stronger than caffeine in the coffee.
Kupa would never admit this to anyone, let alone themself, but they are terrified of being (or becoming) irrelevant. Will people remember them? Will their name be written down in history? Or are they just another footnonte in someone else’s heroic conquest?
Creating a fighter
Fighting style and starting equipment
I’m thinking duelling is probably the ideal fighting style for Kupa. Not defense, because they would have to be wearing armour. A tortle’s “armour” is natural, but debatable if this counts for the fighting style or not, regardless it would need the DM’s allowance and I think duelling is a better fit. Another option would be two-weapon fighting, but then you forego the shield and extra AC with no other option to increase defense. Interception, superior technique, and protection are all good options too, but make less sense for Kupa the lone wolf.
Since I can’t add AC from dexterity, I’d want Kupa to have a shield. Which would mean they’d have to use a one-handed weapon anyway. A rapier is the ideal dexterity based weapon in one hand paired with a shield in the other.
Kupa wouldn’t wear armour, but since a fighter’s starting gold (if taken instead of the starting equipment) is 5d4 × 10 gp, and a rapier costs 25 gp, I think I’d have them just start with the standard equipment: chain mail (they wouldn’t wear); a rapier; a shield; 2 hand axes; and an explorer’s pack.
Martial Archetype
At level 3, a fighter chooses their Martial Archetype. Kupa’s affinity to magic curated by those long nights studying history books and reading about wizards and magic, would persist through their martial training. By dedicating time to learn and memorize spells that could aid them in fights, Kupa would be keen to walk down the path of an Eldritch Knight.
Eldritch Knight spells
Eldritch Knights get a small handful of spells, these are the ones I’d choose for Kupa:
Two wizard cantrips
- Booming Blade
- Lightning Lure
and 3 x 1st level wizard spells, 2 of which must be from Abjuration or Evocation schools of magic.
- Absorb Elements
- Burning Hands
- Find Familiar
Starting statistics
To bring this character creation to a close, I rolled the following stats for Kupa using the roll stats method of 4d6 drop lowest, and a full re-roll for stats totalling under 70 (see reference). It totals fairly high, but balanced across the board.
| STR | 14 (+2) |
| DEX | 18 (+4) |
| CON | 16 (+3) |
| INT | 14 (+2) |
| WIS | 13 (+1) |
| CHA | 9 (-1) |
I’ll need to report back once I play this character out, but for now I think a dexterity based tortle fighter could work. What do you think?